Want to try for a baby - costs involved

justcat

Hi all,

Me and my OH are getting married in June and would like to try for a baby!

I would just really like to know what costs are involved that I may not already be aware of. It's just that I know some people with low paying jobs and mortgages who can carry on fine but I always wonder how!

I would be doing all of the money saving things like making my own baby food and using reusable banboo nappies but what do you do?

Can you give me a rough ideas of what you spend a month and on what and what you do to keep the costs down?

Thanks in Advance

onlyroz

The most expensive aspect of raising a child is childcare. I pay £900 a month in nursery fees, which is probably fairly high-end. I think child-minders are cheaper but I don't know by how much.

As for baby-gear, the most expensive things are the cot, buggy and car-seat. I'd say be particularly careful about your choice of buggy because if you get the wrong one for your needs then it'll be an expensive mistake. You need to consider whether you're going to want to go off-roading, whether you want a shopping basket, and whether you need it to be ultra-lightweight (e.g. for carting about on public transport) or ultra compact (if you've got a small car then you'll have to be especially careful).

The cost of everything else is peanuts - clothes are cheap if you get them from a supermarket (ASDA is the best but Tesco is pretty good). Breastfeeding is free, and formula milk is around £7 a week if you go along that route (as well as buying the bottles and sterilising tablets). Baby food is much cheaper to make yourself.

Cost-wise I don't think there's much difference between disposable and re-usable nappies. With re-useables you have to also factor in the cost of washing them - detergent, electricity, and wear-and-tear on your washing machine (most modern washing machines will only last 2-5 years, and making them deal with baby-poo and gallons of napi-san can't be good for them).

diable

It does not have o be that hard it depends on where you live and how close are both your families.

I managed to support a wife and 2 children but I had the luxury of a Mum 200 yards from where I lived and a MIL from Poland who was happy to be over in the UK for 3 months at a time.

Never paid for a baby sitter or for childcare so that could be counted as lucky.

If you also have to think about costs before you have a child then you may not quiet be ready for it ;p

justcat

If you also have to think about costs before you have a child then you may not quiet be ready for it

I ask because my dad and stepmum earn about 50-60k between them and she wasn't sure she could afford it. On the flipside and couple of friends earn about 25-30k between them and afford it fine. And both are with a mortgage.

We earn about 40k between us with a mortgage £350 pm.

**Upsy_Daisy**

Start gathering Boots points now and hang onto them for nappies, wipes etc

You think you won't need/use disposables and poratble food but you will

If you haven't already, join freegle (formerly freecycle) tons of baby stuff there

You will buy a mega expensive puschair circa £350 but after the first 3 months find you use the £19.99 from Argos far more

UD - mum of DS age 7 and DD twins age 3

XXX

diable

justcat wrote: »

I ask because my dad and stepmum earn about 50-60k between them and she wasn't sure she could afford it. On the flipside and couple of friends earn about 25-30k between them and afford it fine. And both are with a mortgage.

We earn about 40k between us with a mortgage £350 pm.

Jeez I wish I was that well off when I had kids, go for it you'll be ok

oh and mine are 23 and 21 at the moment and I do not regret a second of it ;p

diable

and just to add you should both know when its right to start a family, no planning or saving it just happens from the heart and soul ;p

dtc04

onlyroz wrote: »

The most expensive aspect of raising a child is childcare. I pay £900 a month in nursery fees, which is probably fairly high-end. I think child-minders are cheaper but I don't know by how much.
QUOTE]

Childcare is expensive. I use a childminder and pay over £1000 a month for 37 hours, that's for two children though. Its about the same per session for the baby in the nursery I work in (I dont put her in there for a few reasons, mostly because I would never get any work done!) but they provide everything like milk and nappies which I have to provide at the cm. It depends on the cm who if they are cheaper or not.

You might be able to save money on childcare if your employer offers childcare vouchers.

xmaslolly76

Another little tip dont buy everything upfront you will be surprised what you dont need for a baby. pop onto the pregnancy thread and ask them for a list of essentials dont go by the baby magazines they will say you need aload of stuff that will just sit collecting dust iyswim. The initail layout can be quite high but general day to day costs of a child can be quite minimal.

mumslave

diable wrote: »

It does not have o be that hard it depends on where you live and how close are both your families.

I managed to support a wife and 2 children but I had the luxury of a Mum 200 yards from where I lived and a MIL from Poland who was happy to be over in the UK for 3 months at a time.

Never paid for a baby sitter or for childcare so that could be counted as lucky.

If you also have to think about costs before you have a child then you may not quiet be ready for it ;p

Or you are very responsible and more than ready for a child, as long as other aspects such as how much time, love and patience you can dedicate to a child is included.

I will say as I always do on the cost of children, that it depends on your standards. For some people, only the very best of 'material' things will do for their children. I know someone with 5 children whom bought a new cot for each child as it was born, never handed anything down etc. Thats fine, her standards, but obviously if thats yours, then lots of money may be required!

As for me, I was brought up with 4 other kids, charity shops and carboot sales were part of my life and as an adult I still absolutely adore them both, so I have no problem with doing the same with my own children. Thats not to say we never buy new, of course we do, especially important things like shoes, but its not important to us that our children are dressed in designer names and so on. We prefer to put away for the kids future, at the moment its just £10 a month for each of them, but its still something over the years.

Because of the cost depending on your standards, I dont really think anyone can put a price on having a child. We manage mostly on my husbands wage, I have just started maternity leave but before that my earnings were minimal anyways. Hubbies wage works out at about 1400 a month and on top of that we receive £103 tax credits a week and £185 child benefit 4 weekly. We still manage to private rent a four bed, save money for dreaded christmas, put away into trust funds for the kids and live a 'comfortable' existence.

Greener_Grass

I would say anyone can realistically manage in most cases. My partner is a full time uni student working 16 hours in sainsburys and I'm a stay at home mum. We pay £625.00 a month rent and don't get any benefits. We get child benefit of £20 a week and tax credit of about £130.

People who earn 30 grand a year plus and say they can't afford to stay at home etc just seem crazy to me. I think it all depends on whats important to you. Yes we have no money but we are very happy. I would much rather be here with my son every day not missing anything than out working full time for the sake of a few extra hundred pounds a month.

I second car boot sales/ charity shops/ ebay. My son has the best of everything but most of it second hand. He has more toys than anyone I know because I buy them for bargain prices. All his clothes are new as I always buy them in the sale and with discount codes!